With our bracelets removed, Ivan has a few jobs lined up for us.
Mostly, it seems like it's him giving us an opportunity to learn more about the planet we're on. A chance to learn more about how to get around. But he's got a few things he needs from us as well.
I'm mostly just helping in the kitchen, or in the greenhouses with Anna and Sinead, but I don't mind. I don't want to be stuck in a cramped office going over information with Eric. He and Mia are doing that a lot, though. And, despite their initial reticence, the resistance members are warming up to them.
And us, for that matter. We've already been here a month, and it feels less like we're just...invading now.
People have gotten used to seeing us.
They've accepted us.
They've let us help with their chores. Let us eat their food, sleep in the same rooms they do.
Some people even greet us in the morning.
And it's nice to have that sense of...community.
I never thought about that kind of concept before, back on Earth. I guess I naturally had it with family and classmates and the like, but it was just. Everywhere. So I didn't really need to think about it. But...I think it's a big deal that the resistance members have started to include us like this.
Like, when I get my chores from the job board, people will come over and talk to me.
Sometimes I just nod along with them, as they ramble about things I don't really understand, but other times it's good conversation.
Sometimes they're even talking to Hestia, which is nice.
She's always so happy when people talk to her.
Obviously she can't do much to respond, but she's always listening, bright eyed and eager to hear what they have to say.
It's a stark difference from how she once was.
I've already noticed before how much she changed with just Eric, Mia, and myself since we first met her, huddling alone and shy, scared of even the other humans around her.
But even compared to how much happier she's been with us, she's even more lively and happy here.
Case in point: They've set up a rudimentary musical device - something like those self-playing pianos, with a few of what I assume must be handmade cylinders with music I don't recognize engraved in it.
Hestia is in the middle of the room, dancing her heart out.
There are others dancing as well.
But Hestia...I can tell that she doesn't care at all.
That this is her time, and she's going to make the best of it.
There is no set style or name for her dance. Back on Earth people would probably make fun of her for such an out of touch, mindless kind of dance with herself.
But she's having a ball, and it's so, so infectious.
The song changes to something that has a steady beat to it, and I feel my foot tapping to the music.
It's a good tune. Catchy and cheerful.
The kind that just makes me want to get up and move. And it seems the others feel that way too.
I don't get up, but others do. Their dances aren't as...unique as Hestia's hair flipping bop, but it's obvious that they're also having a lot of fun.
"Ah, Sarah." Anna's voice snaps my attention to her as she comes up behind me. I can tell she's smiling. I guess I'm not the only one watching the dancers.
I smile back. "Hey, Anna."
She sits down on the couch with me. "It's a nice sight to see. Everyone able to just dance a bit." She shakes her head. "You should join in, Sarah. I'm sure it'd be fun."
I chuckle a bit and shake my head. "Oh, no. I'm a terrible dancer."
Granted, Hestia is...
Not exactly doing the waltz out there.
But Hestia still makes it look good, not awkward like me.
"Come on. None of us are experts here. We're all making it up." She grins. "Don't think about it so much. You'll be fine."
I snort. "Yeah. Right." I shake my head. "Thanks for the support, Anna, but...I'll pass."
She huffs, rolling her eyes, but the smile is still there. "Fine, fine." She turns to watch them. Hestia is now spinning around with Sinead and laughing as the music plays.
I can't help but laugh as well.
Hestia has no idea how to dance.
And it doesn't matter. She's still having the time of her life out there. It's hard not to be a little envious, seeing how free she can be.
But I'm happy for her, too.
Anna shakes her head and stands. "Well. I'm gonna give it a shot. If I see you out there I'm gonna have to make fun of you for being a worse dancer than me, alright?" She laughs.
She scurries off to the dance floor before she can listen to my well prepared complaint that definitely wasn't delayed behind being momentarily dumbstruck and gaping like a fish.
Anna's an awful dancer.
It's so bad it's actually pretty good. The kind of thing you could only pull off ironically.
But she looks so happy, smiling and laughing.
I'm not the only one watching. I can see other people sitting or standing, their expressions bright as they look on. It's nice, and it makes me happy.
Happy to see that these people can still find joy here.
The song changes to a slow tune. Anna takes a step back and Hestia and Sinead seem to hesitate, before Sinead grabs Hestia and tugs her out of the crowd, grinning.
A couple pairs of the others get close and start dancing together.
Couples dancing - even if it's evidently not romantic in nature - is definitely beyond my abilities...
"Sarah?" A soft voice draws my attention.
I look to my side.
Ivan.
He smiles at me, settling down on the bench near me. He's quiet for a moment, just watching the dancers, and sighs. "...You're really not going to join?"
"I'm a terrible dancer."
"Oh? That sounds like an excuse."
I huff a bit and cross my arms. "That's because you haven't seen me dance."
"Well, can't be worse than some of the singing I've heard."
I glance at him.
His eyes are fixed on the dancers, but he's smiling.
"...Singing?"
He nods, smiling. "Well, yes. People of all types end up here. Not all of them possess a talent for singing." He hums. "...But that's never stopped some of them."
"I didn't think people were that...daring."
"Oh?" His expression softens. "...Freedom does a lot for a person's boldness." His lips twitch. "...Though I admit that a couple bottles of alcohol does too."
I slow blink. "...How's there alcohol here, anyway?"
"Well, I'd say it's moonshine but that'd be insulting to moonshine."
"But not to alcohol?"
He shrugs again. "Can't help that one." He leans back. "Anyway. That's beside the point. What's important is that you should be doing whatever you think is right," his voice is light.
"If you want to sing, sing. Dance, dance." His smile broadens a bit, and his eyes flick toward me. "It's the point of being free, isn't it?"
"...I guess."
He stands. "So. Why not give it a shot?"
"I already told you. I'm a bad dancer." And it's even slower dancing.
"Is that all?" He hums and settles his hands on his hips. "Well. Be careful. While you wait to be a good dancer, someone may sweep in and dance with the one you care about first."
I blink, but before I can ask him about his random comment, he just leaves.
...Weird guy.